Fitz urges tough drunken boating law

Father describes pain of son's death in lake accident.

Father describes pain of son's death in lake accident.

April 28, 2006|MELISSA JACKSON Tribune Staff Writer

Joe Zielinski's family spent countless idyllic summer days at Donnell Lake. They swam, they fished, they enjoyed bonfires together. "It was like paradise for us all," the Lansing, Ill., man told a room full of Dowagiac Union High School juniors and seniors Thursday. That paradise was shattered last August when his 7-year-old son, Ryan, was killed on the lake's tranquil waters by a personal watercraft operator with a blood- alcohol content of 0.08. As part of Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz's high school anti-drunk driving presentations for Crime Victims' Rights Week, Zielinski shared his story of how an impaired driver changed his family forever. Ryan was one of several children enjoying a ride on rafts being towed around the lake by a boat. According to Fitz, the boaters were doing everything right, from cruising along slowly to making sure the rope was the right length. Ryan's grandmother even rode behind the rafts on a personal watercraft to help keep other watercraft away from the children. Also at the Vandalia lake that day was Brandon Cripe. After consuming enough alcohol to raise his blood-alcohol content to 0.08, the Mishawaka man hopped on his Jet Ski and began cruising around the lake and eventually began playing a game of tag with a fellow Jet Skier, Fitz said. Cripe lost sight of the other player and was looking over his shoulder as his watercraft sped at speeds between 50 and 60 mph toward the boat towing the other children. "When you're sober and you're going 50 or 60 mph, that's not a lot of time to react," Fitz said. "...When you've been drinking, it's that much tougher to make that decision." When Cripe realized he was about to hit the boat, he swerved and hit the boat's wake, which apparently launched him over two of the three rafts being towed. The vessel then landed on top of Ryan, who was killed instantly. "I am asking all of you here to think twice before operating any type of motor vehicle or being a passenger when the driver has been drinking," Zielinski said. "I wouldn't want any of you to be responsible for someone else's death or have your parents suffer for the rest of their life because of your own death." At the time of the accident, Zielinski was driving to the lake from a nursing home where his wife was recovering from a severe brain injury. He recalled feeling completely numb from the shock of the news. And that feeling hasn't left him yet. "Ever since Ryan's death it feels like my soul has left my body," Zielinski said. "I'm just kind of numb inside. Everything that used to be important to me or have any meaning just doesn't seem important anymore." Now Zielinski is working to change some of the laws that govern Michigan's waterways. While Michigan's legal alcohol limit on roadways is now 0.08, it remains at 0.10 on the water. As a result, Cripe could only be charged with a two-year felony instead of a 15-year felony. He was sentenced to six months in county jail in January, and Zielinski said Cripe was released on tether 41 days after his sentencing. Zielinski wants to see the legal blood-alcohol limit for watercraft operators lowered to the same level as that of motor vehicle drivers. He also would like to see more stringent safety course requirements in place for those who use watercraft. He agreed to speak to Dowagiac students if he was also able to discuss the issue with some state legislators. Chris Siebenmark, who is an aide for state Sen. Ron Jelinek, R-Three Oaks, met with Zielinski for lunch after the presentation. Fitz talked to students at all Cass County high schools about drunk driving this week and gave them an opportunity to sign a petition urging legislators to consider the change. Staff writer Melissa Jackson: mjackson@sbtinfo.com (269) 687-7003